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Tenant pockets £5,000 from Tribunal after realising HMO was unlicenced

Tenant pockets £5,000 from Tribunal after realising HMO was unlicenced

News

A tenant who discovered that his landlord had not licenced the HMO in which he lived is to pocket £5,000 after winning a rent repayment order (RRO) during a Tribunal hearing.

Spring Budget shortfalls: What was missing for landlords?

Spring Budget shortfalls: What was missing for landlords?

Opinion

Budget fails buy-to-let landlords – tax reliefs slashed and housing crisis ignored, despite CGT cut and NI tweaks.

Murder conviction bars landlord from running rental properties

Murder conviction bars landlord from running rental properties

News

A landlord who was jailed for culpable homicide in 2008 has been refused permission to rent out flats in Glasgow, despite claiming he has taken ‘responsibility for his actions’ and moved on.

Escalating 'housing emergencies' are Government's fault, say Scots letting agents

Escalating 'housing emergencies' are Government's fault, say Scots letting agents

News

Letting agents have blamed poor Scottish government policies for the growing number of councils declaring ‘housing emergencies’.

Heat pumps still 'too expensive' warns national spending watchdog

Heat pumps still 'too expensive' warns national spending watchdog

News

Heat pump sales continue to be hampered by high costs, lown awareness and a lack of long-term financial support, the government’s spending watchdog has warned.

90% of landlords reject Scottish rent control plans, official poll reveals

90% of landlords reject Scottish rent control plans, official poll reveals

News

Vast majority of landlords have flatly rejected future widespread rent control across Scotland, in a new Holyrood survey.

Landlord fined after tenant harrassment revealed in court

Landlord fined after tenant harrassment revealed in court

News

A landlord has been ordered to pay £2,500 in fines, compensation and costs after he admitted harassing two of his tenants.

Will landlord MPs stymie the Rental (reform) Bill?

Will landlord MPs stymie the Rental (reform) Bill?

News

Momentum appears to be growing to torpedo the controversial legislation as evidence emerges that the Bill is ‘close to collapse’ in Parliament.

Should a good rent payment record count towards a mortgage application

Should a good rent payment record count towards a mortgage application

News

It used to be the case that renting was a temporary phase in a young persons life. It gave flexibility until their career settled down to a fixed employer and a fixed location. But todays property prices mitigate against this pattern. Many people are locked into renting fa

Generation Rent calls for big landlord regulation push in Wales

Generation Rent calls for big landlord regulation push in Wales

News

Generation Rent has urged the Welsh government to introduce an ombudsman for the PRS along with more grounds for rent repayment orders (RROs) in order to improve tenants’ lives.

80% of landlords say banning Section 21 evictions 'a mistake'

80% of landlords say banning Section 21 evictions 'a mistake'

News

The vast majority of landlords and letting agents view the Government’s plans to abolish Section 21 evictions as a mistake, a new report has revealed.

Hunt's Spring Budget hid 'stealth' tax grab on landlords via CGT rules

Hunt's Spring Budget hid 'stealth' tax grab on landlords via CGT rules

News

Jeremy Hunt’s recent Spring Budget hid a ‘steal tax’ on landlords seeking to sell properties after April 1st, it has been claimed.

Time ticking away for Bill prompts fresh concerns

Time ticking away for Bill prompts fresh concerns

News

Fears are growing that the government is going soft on its commitment to the Renters Reform Bill.

Surge in fines for Right to Rent non-compliance

Surge in fines for Right to Rent non-compliance

News

An increasing number of landlords and letting agents are falling foul of Right to Rent rules, with a big rise in fines handed out last year.

Landlord turns up heat on TV show with winning pitch

Landlord turns up heat on TV show with winning pitch

News

An HMO landlord and entrepreneur has secured £80,000 worth of funding on Dragons' Den for his thermostat business.

Landlords fail to avoid London borough's HMO clampdown

Landlords fail to avoid London borough's HMO clampdown

News

Haringey Council is launching a new additional HMO licensing scheme despite limited backing from landlords and tenants.

Renters face growing struggle to pay rising rents

Renters face growing struggle to pay rising rents

News

Rent-to-income ratios in the UK have reached unsustainable new highs, forcing renters to spend a third of their wages on rent.

One council goes against the grain with short-term lets

One council goes against the grain with short-term lets

News

Northumberland council has refused owners consent to convert their short-term holiday let cottages into permanent private residences.

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Rent Review

Rent Review

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Question - Rent Review - my landlord is asking for far more rent than I expected on review. Am I obliged to pay this?Answer - Commercial leases are contractual - the parties agree to and are bound by its clauses and that includes rent review provisions.The rent review process is a way of periodic

Re-selling Energy

Re-selling Energy

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Re-selling Energy - As a landlord am I able to make a profit by re-selling electricity or gas?</h2>Resale of Gas and ElectricityThe maximum amount that Residential Landlords or resellers� are permitted to charge for gas or electricity is the amount they

Providing a Reference

Providing a Reference

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Providing a Reference - I have been asked to provide a reference for one of my tenants who is moving on. What is my legal position in this and am I putting myself at risk if I say he was a bad tenant?</h2> Referencing (seeking verification of a tenants past performance) is an increasi

Misrepresentation

Misrepresentation

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Misrepresentation - We recently rented out our rural cottage to a couple. As they wanted to use their computers I said it was possible to get high-speed broad-band. I thought this would be possible but it seems it is not at this time. The couple are now claiming that I misled them and that

Mail for Previous Tenants

Mail for Previous Tenants

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I'm receiving mail for previous tenants and some of them are from debt collectors. Will this get my property black listed and cause problems for my current tenants and myself in the future?</h2> It's fairly common to have mail arriving for months and even years after residents have left,

Long Term AST

Long Term AST

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Long Term AST - My prospective tenant has asked for a tenancy term of 6 years. Can I use the usual Assured Shorthold Tenancy agreement for this?</h2> The Assured Shorthold Tenancy is the default tenancy for residential lettings and since October 2010 this applies to rents up to �100,000

How long should accounts be kept

How long should accounts be kept

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Question: How long should accounts be kept to satisfy the authorities, things like accounting files, invoices and tax records, as a property landlord?Answer: You must keep your records for 6 years after the tax year to which they apply, whether or not you complete a tax return.It's a good idea, a

Expiry of Section 21 Notice

Expiry of Section 21 Notice

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Expiry of Section 21 Notice - I have served a Section 21 (s21) Notice on my tenant but don't wish to start proceedings immediately. Can I wait without the notice expiring?Once a Section 21 notice has been served correctly it continues indefinitely, until such time as the tenancy is ended, either

Covenant and Covenant Strength

Covenant and Covenant Strength

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Covenant and Covenant Strength - What is a legal covenant and what is the significance of the terms in relation to rental property and lettings ?</h2>The term covenant can have several meanings and has biblical origins but it is of particulalry significance

Landlords and agents slammed by BBC over 'bidding war' tactics

Landlords and agents slammed by BBC over 'bidding war' tactics

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Many landlords and lettings agents are prepared to use a shortage of rental properties to their advantage, viewers of the BBC’s Morning Live show were told.

71% of tenants have 'no issues' paying their rent, reveals official data

71% of tenants have 'no issues' paying their rent, reveals official data

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New official data about the private rented sector reveals that it is in better shape than some tenants’ rights groups like to claim.

Renting reforms will 'break' local councils warn environmental health officers

Renting reforms will 'break' local councils warn environmental health officers

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The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) has warned that the Renters’ Rights Bill will place a huge enforcement burden on already stretched local councils.

Landlord success in the new regime – Suzanne Smith explains

Landlord success in the new regime – Suzanne Smith explains

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Proven strategies for thriving as a landlord in the new regulatory era—expert insight from Suzanne Smith.

Council says £840 licencing scheme has seen 'incredible improvement'

Council says £840 licencing scheme has seen 'incredible improvement'

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Nottinghamshire local authority Gedling Council is relaunching selective licensing in its Netherfield ward in the new year after seeing “incredible improvements” to living standards.

Government promises to tackle business rates anomalies

Government promises to tackle business rates anomalies

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Following years of lobbying, Labour has promised to act on what is generally agreed is an unfair UK business rates system

Labour to 'go further' than Tories with holiday lets regulation

Labour to 'go further' than Tories with holiday lets regulation

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Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook has hinted heavily that the government will go further than the Tories in its bid to regulate holiday lets.

Labour's Manchester mayor urges landlords not to quit sector

Labour's Manchester mayor urges landlords not to quit sector

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Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has confirmed he doesn’t want landlords to exit the market, in marked contrast to comments made by his national Labour colleagues in Parliament.

Rents to rise faster than property values over next three years

Rents to rise faster than property values over next three years

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Hamptons predicts that rents will rise by 17% between 2024 and 2027, outpacing house price growth of 12.5%.

Why it's time for landlords to get digital

Why it's time for landlords to get digital

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Discover how going digital can streamline operations, cut costs, and future-proof your rental business.

Half of Facebook rental ads are fake, claims Generation Rent

Half of Facebook rental ads are fake, claims Generation Rent

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More than half the rental listings on Facebook Marketplace are likely to be scams, according to an investigation by Generation Rent.

First meeting of London Rent Commission held at City Hall

First meeting of London Rent Commission held at City Hall

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The group, which includes politicians and activists, say the commission is the step toweards rent controls in the capital.

Total Landlord wins 'best insurance provider' for SEVENTH time

Total Landlord wins 'best insurance provider' for SEVENTH time

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For the seventh year, Total Landlord, part of Total Property, has been named the 'Best Landlord Insurance Provider' at the Insurance Choice Awards 2024.

Rents in England close to 'affordability ceiling' says Savills expert

Rents in England close to 'affordability ceiling' says Savills expert

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Rents will carry on rising next year as the supply of rental homes continues to be outstripped by supply – but an ‘inflection point’ where rents become too expensive for many tenants will eventually arrive, and already has done in London.

Big London council votes to hugely extend selective licencing

Big London council votes to hugely extend selective licencing

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Decision by Lambeth councillors comes just a few months after an initial and expensive four-ward scheme went live.

RICS reports that the Budget gives a mixed bag for property

RICS reports that the Budget gives a mixed bag for property

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There are Autumn Budget winners and losers in the property industry as a whole

Government rejects calls for longer licencing schemes

Government rejects calls for longer licencing schemes

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The Government has rejected calls for 10-year selective licensing schemes and insists that the government recognises the burden that licensing puts on landlords.

LATEST: Bank of England cuts base rate by 0.25%

LATEST: Bank of England cuts base rate by 0.25%

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The Bank of England has cut interest rates from 5% to 4.75%, providing some welcome cheer for landlords looking to invest and remortgage.

Rent arrears climb by 22% as 'cost of living' crisis continues

Rent arrears climb by 22% as 'cost of living' crisis continues

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The average rent arrears claim climbed to £2,064 in the third quarter of this year, a 22% rise on the same period last year.

Housing minister says rent controls would damage landlords and tenants

Housing minister says rent controls would damage landlords and tenants

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Housing minister Matthew Pennycook has said rent controls in England would hit both tenants and landlords negatively by reducing supply and discouraging investment.

Generation Rent hires former Labour MP and housing campaigner

Generation Rent hires former Labour MP and housing campaigner

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Former Labour MP Dame Karen Buck has been hired as Generation Rent’s new chair of the board.

Landlording 'not a real business' says Green politician

Landlording 'not a real business' says Green politician

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Scotland’s Housing Bill has been diluted to keep landlord lobbyists happy rather than focusing on renters’ needs, according to a Green MSP.

Landlord trio given UK's largest ever HMO fine

Landlord trio given UK's largest ever HMO fine

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Three rogue landlords who operated a string of unlicensed and unsafe HMOs across Northampton have been collectively fined a whopping £452,796.

New property 'powerhouse' organisation being planned

New property 'powerhouse' organisation being planned

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The formation of a new ‘powerhouse’ organisation to represent the commercial property sector including build-to-rent and co-living is under way, it has been announced.

Labour confirms plan to force landlords to lease out shops

Labour confirms plan to force landlords to lease out shops

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Labour has confirmed that it will compel landlords of high street shops to rent out their premises if they stand empty for too long.